Sowing the Seeds of Doubt
by pixelsurgeon
Summary: 'The stranger didn't say a word, just threw down his glove. A smirk slowly spread across the king's face, but the only reaction the challenger had was to smile at Merlin, his icy blue eyes glinting.'
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **This just popped into my head…So, yeah. This will probably not have that many chapters. I don't own Merlin.

* * *

><p>It was a day like any other. There was no ominous feeling of dread, no nothing.<p>

Until the boy came.

He was enough of a man to not be recognized by Arthur, but Merlin knew. Merlin would know those eyes anywhere.

The stranger didn't say a word, just threw down his glove. A smirk slowly spread across the king's face, but the only reaction the challenger had was to smile at Merlin, his icy blue eyes glinting.

Arthur didn't even hesitate to pick it up.

"Tomorrow, at…sunset? I would say to the death, but you seem too young. First blood?" he asked the challenger.

The boy nodded.

"Good. What's your name?" Arthur asked.

The boy only said two words.

"Ask Emrys."

* * *

><p>This whole thing shook Merlin.<p>

Mordred will kill Arthur.

That was the only thing he could think.

So naturally, he stopped Arthur in the hall.

"Yes?" Arthur asked.

"He's going to kill you. I know he is. Don't ask me how, just listen to me." Merlin said.

"No! If Camelot sees that I back down from fighting a boy, how will they ever trust me again?"

"He has magic."

"And how would you know this?"

"Just…I do. Please Arthur, just listen to me."

"Merlin, are you alright?"

"Better if you dropped out." Merlin said.

Arthur just shook his head and left.

* * *

><p>Later, Merlin was agonizing over exactly how to prevent Arthur's death, when Mordred spoke to him.<p>

This was the first time in years, and it startled Merlin so much, he whacked his head against a wall.

"Emrys…I'll be sorry for your loss, I promise…" Mordred said.

Merlin didn't say anything, just grimaced.

He could feel Mordred smiling.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Short, yes. Please review!


	2. NonExistent Plans

**A/N: **Hi again! This is for my last anonymous reviewer, I'm trying for you! So I haven't written for Merlin in the longest time…who cares? I'll try as hard as I can, but OOCness may be present. Don't own Merlin.

* * *

><p>Merlin couldn't sleep. Hell, he could barely breathe he was so nervous.<p>

It was Mordred's destiny to kill Arthur, and he had that chance the next day…so why wasn't Merlin doing anything?

He got out of bed, a plan half-forming in his mind. He would have to kill Mordred, that was the only way around it. Of course, that wouldn't be _easy, _as Mordred was a druid and druids are never easy to fight.

He had to do something, though. He couldn't let Arthur just _die_ without a fight.

So he went in search of Mordred. He wasn't in the castle, that much was clear. Probably at the inn, that was the most likely option.

Then he had to avoid the knights, namely Gwaine.

He made it to the inn and asked the innkeeper about Mordred while hiding behind a chair. He wanted to avoid being slowed down, and hiding seemed to be the best way.

He found Mordred's room and unlocked the door with magic.

There was no one there.

"Hello, Emrys," a voice said, and Merlin whipped around.

Mordred was standing behind him, smiling the smile that haunted Merlin's dreams.

"I'll make it quick, I promise," Mordred said.

Merlin raised his hands, lips starting to open, but Mordred laughed and Merlin was knocked against a wall.

"Just resign yourself to it," Mordred said. "You've always known it was bound to happen, why not embrace it? No Arthur…you would be free to do whatever you wanted. If you played it right, Gwen could be all yours. If she ruled in Arthur's place, you might even lift the ban on magic. That's what you want, isn't it?"

In that moment, Merlin felt a surge of hate for Arthur and all Arthur was keeping Merlin from, but it quickly disappeared.

He had to control himself.

Mordred smiled and was gone.

Merlin rubbed his forehead.

Time for non-existent plan B.

* * *

><p>Non-existent plan B started existing a few hours later, when Merlin was polishing Arthur's armor. He figured it was a punishment for telling Arthur to back down, because his armor was perfect before he made Merlin start.<p>

Plan B turned out to be taking Arthur's place. If _Uther _could do it, Merlin would have no trouble whatsoever.

Arthur kept leaving the room and coming back every so often, but Merlin wished he would just stay so he could do the damn spell.

Of course, the spell involved Arthur being unconscious. Convenient for hiding magic, very inconvenient because of Arthur staying in one place for only a few seconds at a time.

It was going to have to be fast…

So when Arthur left the room for the fifteenth or so time, Merlin grabbed a gauntlet and waited behind the door.

When Arthur walked back in, about ten minutes later, Merlin hit him over the head with the gauntlet, which seemed to annoy him slightly and have no other effect.

"Merlin, why…?" Arthur asked.

Merlin realized he probably shouldn't have tried again, but he couldn't help himself.

Arthur had him pinned to the wall in seconds.

"Care to explain yourself?" he asked.

"Um..."

"Checking for woodworm?"

"Your head's about the right thickness for them, that could work…"

Arthur sighed.

"What is your excuse?" he asked.

"You have to back down, Arthur."

"He's a child, Merlin. I'll beat him, and-"

"_He'll kill you," _Merlin said. "Arthur, you have to believe me. Please. I just want to keep you alive, and-"

"Even if he killed me, he would be dead within seconds. Why would someone want that?"

"Because he's insane?"

Arthur shook his head.

"Merlin, I will be absolutely fine. I promise," he said.

He took the gauntlet and hit Merlin on the head with it before leaving the room.

Plan C had no chance of existing.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Tell me if you liked it, tell me if you didn't, just please review!


End file.
